Silver & Gold
by mollycoddle
Summary: -"The crimes of these wizards and their fellow families are too great. But of course the Golden Trio's say is final."In which Draco's father's destiny is in Hermione's hands, and Hermione realizes something. DxH
1. Part 1: prologue

**Part One:  
**

**the prologue **

* * *

_We did it, _

_we bashed them, _

_wee Potter's the one!_

_And Voldy's gone moldy, _

_so now let's have fun!_

****-Peeves' Victory Song  
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

* * *

i do not own Harry Potter


	2. Part 1: wringing a handkerchief

i do not own Harry Potter

* * *

**Silver & Gold**

* * *

**Trio**

* * *

**T**he meeting was set for twelve that afternoon and Hermione was _not_ going to be late—even if it meant she had to drag Harry by the ear and Ron by the hair half across Muggle streets.

"All right!" shouted Harry finally, and yanked himself free. "We're not going to be _late_, Hermione."

"Harry," she said impatiently, still dragging Ron, "this meeting is in front of every Death Eater alive, in front of the Ministry of Magic, and in front of television—wizard _TV_ Harry! This is not your average Smartest-Girl-in-England." For a moment, her voice raised to a slightly hysterical tone before she took a deep breath.

"The what? Smartest girl in England? Hermione, _please_ do not tell me you were on that show."

* * *

**Trio**

* * *

They arrived a _little_ breathless. (For many reasons. One of them being running away from a very police-looking man.)

"Miss Granger, Mr.'s Potter and Weasly—please follow me to the Prep Room." The woman was about thirty, a little too young to be a secretary. Hermione didn't like it. "Your makeup will be put on in there and your lines are being printed. The coffee—you do drink coffee?—is being made." Her tone was brisk and she was already leading them past the whispers. ("Daddy daddy! There's Harry _Potter_!")

The woman's heels (painfully high, Hermione would fall off in a matter of four seconds) click-clacked in rhythm before she spared them a glance, as though Harry had not saved her life with Ron and Hermione's help."My name is Gwen, and if you want something it's my job to make it happen."

Ron glanced at her curiously. "So if I ask you to get me every flavor from—"

"It's being prepared."

* * *

**Malfoy Family:  
minus Lucius**

* * *

"Mother," said Draco in a matter-oh-fact tone as he slid in next to her. "You are wringing your handkerchief."

For a moment, Narcissa did not look like she heard him. And then she turned; her eyes bigger and the skin beneath them sagging a little. His mother's skin never sagged before.

"I understand, Mother," said Draco easily. He perfected the Malfoys' perfect acting to perfection. "Everything will be fine."

Narcissa nodded and then went back to breathing heavily, and ignoring the glares they were getting. "Mm," she murmured, and then went back to clawing at the little white linen.

Draco sighed heavily, knowing there was no way to avoid his fate.

* * *

**Trio**

* * *

"You're complexion is very _very_ good, darling," said Else, the makeup artist. "Your freckly friend even has them good."

"I know," Hermione whispered as Else took her wand and straightened her fizzy hair with every smooth glide. "I should know. Ron and I dated for a while…"

Else grinned. "Interesting couple, but not very interesting _together_. You're too familiar." She finished with Hermione's hair and look at the rest of her critically. "Interesting eyes. Almosta copper color."

Hermione blushed.

"Hermione," murmured Harry quietly, as a woman tried to attack his hair with a comb and some gel, "gimme your script."

"They all want us to be there for publicity," replied Hermione simply, keeping the small piece of parchment out of Harry's reach. "After I heard our lines were being printed, it was a little obvious."

Harry frowned. "I don't like it."

"Neither do I," admitted his best friend that was a girl. "So we have each other's backs."

Harry nodded.

"It's show time," piped up Ron, remembering a Muggle phrase. "Wish me luck."

* * *

**Malfoy Family:  
minus Lucius**

* * *

They entered in a flurry of robes, black, light black, and dark gray. They looked almost plastic, thought Draco disgustingly. Other than the fact that Harry's hair was as wild as always and Ron was as tall as usual, they looked like they stepped out from a magazine. And it was stupid. Draco had seen, first hand, Granger's straight hair full of twigs and leaves. Potter's face was smudged the last time he has seen him so much, his scar was covered completely. Even Weasley's ruined robes, something he had been known for as a joke in his household, were spotless.

Absolutely disgusting.

"Mother," he murmured when Narcissa's grip became too strong.

She let go of his hand, only to clutch it again.

* * *

**Trio**

* * *

She blinked at Harry as he said his first line, in such a solemn tone, it gave her goose bumps.

They made the introductions—rank first—which lasted at least fifteen minutes. Meanwhile, Ron and Harry were kicking each other's legs, trying to make it look like they weren't. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"AND NOW," boomed the current, new Minister of Magic. "We get on with the judging. Due to some—ah—_brawls_ the Death Eater's wands have been confiscated. Until proven innocent, they are being held."

A hissing sound came from somewhere, and everywhere turned to the cage being brought in the room. It was large, holding the Deather Eaters caught. The cage had bars, made of iron, with spells cast around it.

A cry of dismay rose, and then faded.

Hermione's eyes widened. Harry grimaced. Ron looked sick.

A cage.

Holding people.

Hermione steadied her shaking hands.

* * *

**Malfoy Family:  
minus Lucius**

* * *

The surname "Parkinson" rang out through the quiet room. Pansy, two rows behind Draco, began to cry into her mother's shoulder.

From his perch, Draco could see the Crabbes, Goyles, and the Greengrasses. They all looked weary, especially Draco's own acquaintances who had been pardoned. Behind him, Blaise was holding his little sister as their mother pursed her lips.

Everyone—almost every Slytherin that ever went to Hogwarts and lived though the war anyway—was there, either looking at nothing with no expression and very ice-y eyes or trying to calm down the woman in the family—seeing as there was a lot more women than men.

Even Draco was pardoned with an intense warning and a bruise the size of shepherd pie on his back. Many of them were just as unlucky, unless you were a kid who had no idea—or no part—in the whole war. And that was rare.

* * *

**Minister of Magic  
secretary speaking into his ear**

Gwen said something in his ear and the minister—his name was way too long—looked murderous. Good—something bad happened to that ass, thought Draco. Sure enough each and every Eater was brought out all at once, and Dracp heard his mother cry out as Lucius—once so proud—was spelled in, in a cage like an animal with his used-to-be straight back now dented. Some boys look away. Every little girl was crying now; asking why their daddy was blindfolded.

He waved to the Eaters and lavished out a piece of parchment. "The crimes of these wizards and their fellow families are too great each. We will judge them all at once. But of _course_ the Golden Trio's say is final." The minister grinned at Harry, Hermione, and Ron.

Ron thought he leered more than anything.


	3. Part 2: the breaking of the wall

**Part Two:  
**

**the breaking of the wall**

* * *

_The fortress is set on a tiny island, _

_way out to sea, _

_but they don't need walls and water to keep the prisoners in, _

_not when they're all trapped inside their own heads, _

_incapable of a single cheerful thought. _

_Most of them go mad within weeks  
_

-Remus Lupin  
Prisoner of Azkaban

* * *

i do not own Harry Potter


	4. Part 2: tapping a finger on a desk

i do not own Harry Potter.

* * *

**Silver and Gold  
**tapping a finger on a desk

* * *

**Trio**

**H**arry watched, carefully.

It almost surprised Hermione, because no matter how much death and pain and grief they go through, she still expected her boys to stay the same—innocent, almost careless. Not that she wasn't (innocent, not careless) which was somewhat odd among her current generation. Hermione Granger, innocent? Why yes, didn't you hear? Even though she was tortured by one of the forbidden curses, broken down, and gave up her family for Harry Potter (Mr. and Mrs. Granger later came back, furious about the memory wipe), she was still innocent and sweet and all that stuff that was common before the bloody war.

Anyway.

The point was that despite the seriousness of the situation, she felt almost giddy. Like she wanted to laugh. Badly. Which was not good on public television. She took a deep breath, then looked around the room.

And then she caught Draco's eye.

* * *

**An entry from the diary of  
Luther D. Hanson  
(First published two months in Voldemort's gain for power)**

**December 16, Year 7 of Hogwarts**

I met Rosalinda Flint today.

The one Johnson is always talking about—her beauty, her grace, her hate for Muggles. I thought the last quality is something of a damper on his description of a kind soul.

She is nothing special, really. Orange hair, brown eyes, pale skin without any freckles. A rather nice figure, but more like a fourth year than a seventh.

Other than that, there isn't much else to say. Went to Transfiguration; got a detention.

* * *

**Minister**

"And we proceed with Ronald Weasley, a pureblood."

**Trio**

Hermione did _not_ stare (merely observed) as Ron sputtered for a second, his eyes wide. "Um, I guess—I, yes. I think th-that they should face the penalties." He then ducked his head, like he was a little boy who ate a cookie before dinner and didn't want to admit it.

Draco looked like he was chuckling.

"Good, good," said the minister with the long name. "_Good_. You chose the right choice, Ronald. Your father raised you well." He smirked at the Death Eaters as he got up and faced the WizardCam. "Ronald Weasly said yes—a tally, please."

A tally was made on a board by Umbridge (who did not die in the war, got away by betraying a few fellow Death Eaters, and Harry thought about personally firing her) who was scowling as she raised her pudgy hand to make a tally. (Tally. Like this was a game of child sports!)

Hermione crossed her legs and looked around—catching Draco's eye again. She blinked, and thought how hard it was for him, alone and the only heir of his father's fortune—that might not be even a fortune after this—and she felt something well inside her, like a washcloth that was soaking water.

He looked away, but the feeling stayed. She frowned, remembering the way he looked at her before, like he was _amused_, like he found this all _funny_. Like his _father_ and his _cousins_ and his _uncles_ and his _family_ wasn't in trial. Except no spell could give them a pleasant, tickling sensation now while they burned.

And really, he—

He was thin, too thin. Harry and Ron were already were eating more protein while lifting _weights_. He was as pale as opals and his mother was blinking rapidly.

And Draco's eyes were silver.

_Where did that come from?_ she suddenly thought. But before she could explore the unexplained observation, her attention was snapped back to the trial.

"And so the Weasly's are a great model family—purebloods but kind, people, _kind_! They live poorly and have too many kids but they are strong and live wealthy in love. _Love_, people. Love is our greatest friend."

…_What? _Hermione groaned slightly and her eyes flickered over to Ron, who was getting redder and redder at the minister's words.

_I think Ron's about to hex him._

She sat straighter and shook herself before the minister stopped talking. "And now onto the Boy Who Lived!"

**The Malfoy family:  
minus Lucius  
**

He watched, as the laying out was interesting.

He watched Granger, the way she sat and the way she whispered something to her friends. The way her face turned grim and the way it scowled when she saw something she didn't like. The cage, for instance.

He gripped his mother's hand even harder.

* * *

**An entry from the diary of  
Luther D. Hanson**

**December 23, Year 7 at Hogwarts**

Johnson and even Geoffrey dragged me to Fanga's Brew today, intent on getting a lady for the Tri Ball thing. "I don't understand," I told them. "The best place to get a dance invitation is at school!"

Geoffrey laughed. "Fanga's Brew is the best place to get them drunk enough to convince one of them to accept Johnson's invitation."

Johnson replied with a "hah!" and a smack to the stomach when we bumped into Rosalinda Flint on her way with some other Slytherin girls. Us Ravenclaws stiffened, but Johnson, who was a Gryffindor, bowed most handsomely and said, "Ah fair maidens, do thou give this humble knight a chance to dance on the fair evening of the ball?"

Rosalinda and Yulee laughed, but Hester and Honey nodded and that was how the brave and stupid Johnson got stuck with two dates, both of them foul.

* * *

**Minster**

"So, the Boy Who Lived, are you ready to decide?"

**Draco**

_More like the Boy That Just Wouldn't Die_, thought Draco bitterly.

**Harry**

"Yes," said Potter quietly.

**Minister**

"And singlehandedly killed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"

**Draco**

He did us at least one favor, Malfoy hissed.

**Trio**

"You okay?" whispered Harry as Hermione tapped one of her fingers on the desk, deep in thought. But she didn't answer.

Before she did. "This isn't sane," she murmured.

Hermione sat up a little straighter. She glanced at Harry and then at Ron.

"No."

* * *

i played around with the format on this one so i hope its better.


	5. Part 2: an epilogue of sorts: watched

i do not own Harry Potter

& for those of you who are not new, go back and read the first chapter.

I changed a lot.

* * *

**Silver and Gold**  
an epilogue of sorts:  
watched

* * *

**The Tri****o**

**H**er answer rang throughout the entire room, and quickly Hermione began to feel uneasy.

"I will ask again," the minster finally said, after the silence began to feel too much, "do you think that the Death Eaters should be sentenced to death?"

"No," she repeated, though perhaps less sure of herself. Then she thought of Draco's eyes, taunting her. She filled that in, letting the anger fuel her voice.

Another silence. "Pardon?" whispered the Head of Aurors.

"No," she half-snapped. Rage began to course through her veins, the kind where anyone who knew her quickly dived for cover. "No. NO, as in _no_, as in no, or _en oh_. Please tell me you get the picture, minister. Surely even if you didn't graduate from a wizarding school, or any other, you know what that word means? You know, the word that every woman in her right mind said when you asked for a date?"

For just a minute I saw Draco gaze at me—_gaze_—with what looked like admiration—no, respect.

Appalled, the minster sputtered, "You Hermione Granger are not in your right mind!"

"No. I am." Hermione tried to calm herself. "Just ask Ron or Harry."

"Yes," said Harry immediately. "She does. A bit bigger than needed, but…"

"Y-well, y-well, uh, still, you're not allowed to do that, you cannot just say _no_ when—"

Harry and Ron took deep breaths. And then they nodded, before saying, "We agree with Hermione," which came out a little warbled, but the meaning was clear.

They were sticking with their best friend.

**The Caged Wizards**

They could not see, but they could hear, and from what was going on they were free.

A blissful kind of joy began to settle in them, warm and comforting. They would see their families again, and there was nothing more comforting than that.

* * *

**An entry from the diary of**  
**Luther D. Hanson**

**January 23, Year 7 at Hogwarts**

Edwin passed the second tournament!

We cheered so hard, most of us Ravenclaws have soar throats. But the peculiar thing is that Rosalinda Flint congratulated me, never mind the fact that her own cousin from Durmstrang almost lost.

* * *

**The Malfoy family**

Draco's mother was clutching her son with her manicured nails tighter than ever. Though it stung, and he began to bleed, everything would be okay.

Maybe, just maybe, everything would be fine.

He faced the cage with his father again, this time smiling brilliantly.

**The Trio**  
**20 minutes after the trial**

They were taking off their makeup a little too quickly, but it was necessary if they wanted to get out of there as fast as possible. Harry even ruffled his hair rebelliously.

Grabbing whatever they brought with them, they scampered out of there. Unfortunately, it wasn't too easy. In fact, it was downright hard. They linked hands and tried to get through the crowd of reporters and angry wizards, but it was almost impossible until Ron took out his wand and got them out of there. (Hermione was miffed she hadn't thought of that, rules be stomped on.)

**After the Trial  
pureblood families**

The Parkinsons, the Malfoys, the Flints, the Goyles, the Crabbes, the Zabinis, the Greengrasses, _all_ of the pureblood families watched the Golden Trio leave.

Finally, Mr. Malfoy spoke, "We were wrong about them, and especially the Granger girl."

"I agree," whispered a mother as she burrowed in her father's clothes, and clutching her husband's.

"I want you to help her any way you can," said a Greengrass to his son. "We owe them all, but especially Miss Granger."

There were nods and then Mr. Malfoy put his arm around his son and squeezed, telling him he agreed.

* * *

note:

this isn't the last chapter, actually.


End file.
